"Jannu? Berry fresh strawberry or luscious lushy lime?" I asked Jannat, who was busy applying mascara carefully to her thick eyelashes, that bound the small hairs together.

"Um - what would your brother like?"

"Step brother."

Jannat turned and faced me.

"He's still your brother Reem, he probably does accept you as his family, except he's just recently met you so -"

"I still can't believe father married before my mother and never told us. Thank God for Vishal who knew about this."

Upon hearing Vishal's name I saw Jannat lighten up immediately.

"Err - what were you saying about Vishal again?" She leaned against the wooden dressing table and gazed out of the window dreamily.

I turned to face her in my dressing table seat and smiled at her.

"Just admit you like him baby,"

"Um no - when did I say that?" She immediately shuffled her feet and continued her make up.

"It's written on your face." I teased.

She looked at me dumbly and hurriedly checked the mirror.

I gaped at her, astonished.

"Oh my holy lord - since when did you become serious dude?"

Jannat laughed innocently and put on her boots.

"Come on, it's time to meet your family member."

My smile disappeared slowly.

Maybe he was the only family I had, but he didn't accept me at all - not in the way he should anyway, but in a different way; a way which no girl would want a man to treat her like.

💓

The boys were waiting beside a mini bus which they had hired to take us all on a trip to Goa. On the way we would stop by at my step brother's house.

Sidd saw me laughing and engaging with Jannat and I saw him taking off his sunglasses slowly to take a glance of me.

I noticed him and walked past him to the door while he just turned as I walked away.

"Alright girls, ready? Hang on - where's Roshni?" Faisal asked, looking around.

Roshni's house:

"Arghhhhhhhh where's my hair dryer my hairs going all frizzy!!!!!" Roshni leapt around, shrieking for her hair dryer.

Back to the car:

"She's probably screaming about her hair dryer or make up or something😂" Faisal teased while Jannat smacked him gently.

"Let's drive to her house." Sidd jumped into the driver's seat and drove the mini bus confidently.

I sat with Jannat in the middle and saved a seat for Roshni.

Faisal and Vishal sat in the two front seats beside Sidd.

"Sidd, you want anything to eat or somethin? It's been a long time." I asked him, holding out a sandwich.

"Yeah," he kept his focus on the road but turned his mouth so it reached the sandwich in her hands.

"Oooh Reem's feeding Sidd!!!"

"Shut up."

"Look out there's an oldie waving at you to stop!"

We all laughed and teased each other until we reached at Roshni's house.

"I'll check on her, you guys stay here." I got out of the car and walked in my mini dress to her apartment.

Suddenly, a bunch of boys came up to me and started laughing amongst themselves.

At first I thought they were just laughing at themselves but then I realized that wasn't the case.

"Hey city girl, what's up with that dress? Who ya trying to impress?" They laughed violently and showed their vicious teeth.

I ignored them and my grip on my handbag got tighter.

Through my peripheral view I noticed them getting up from their position in the parking of the apartment and confronting me.

The big guy got in front of me, blocking the entrance to the lift.

"Excuse me." I said shakily.

"Not so fast baby."

I cringed and gave a fierce look at the guy who stiffened up and put his hands on his hips.

I tried moving either side of him but he just kept moving with me.

Suddenly, I drew a knife out of my handbag, co-incidentally, I had put it in their for the sandwiches and now it came in handy.

Their circle surrounding me suddenly became broken and they ran off, hiding here and there. I smiled proudly and was just about to go when I heard a terrible scream from the lift.

It opened and in front of me were the same bullies; but this time - they were strangling Roshni.

"LET ME GO! I'LL CALL THE POLICE IM TELLIN YOU!" Roshni cried and tried twisting her arm out of their strong grip but they just snarled at her ruthlessly.

I felt pools of tears forming in my eyes and for some reason I couldn't move as numbness flowed through my veins, sulking all the oxygen from my blood.

I ran as fast as I could, not bothering about the occasional trips over stones in my flats and slammed both hands on the window. Everyone suddenly got out and I had puddles of tears dripping down like a waterfall across my face.

Sidd held my shoulders and him and Faisal ran hurriedly to the lift where Roshni was and after that I saw nothing of them for a few minutes.

Vishal stayed with me and Jannat, calming me down and Jannat almost felt like she was going to be sick.

A nauseated feeling wrapped around me as I saw blood dripping off Faisal's knuckles while they stood either side of Roshni who was shivering and Sidd had an arm tucked in hers.

"ROSHNI!" I ran up to her and hugged her tightly like I didn't want to lose her ever and Sidd patted my back.

I drew back from the hug and sat her in the car.

"I need to meet my step brother, Sidd."

"You already have." He said quietly, staring at the ground.

"What?" I stared at him in confusion, wondering whether the fight had shaken his mental stability.

"Those drunkards who wanted to..... well - that's your step brother."

My phone slipped from my hands and my lips poured like they wanted to say something but no words came out.

"That's right - your step brother stalked you and wanted to harm you. He thinks you're the culprit for your father's death." Sidd shook his head and stroked a hand across my head.

"No, that. Can't. Be. Right." My words didn't flow, they were no longer sweet. I felt like a witch who everyone hated.

"Reem, please - let's go home and sort it out."

"What's left to sort out when - when all this just happened!" I found myself wailing like I did when I was 5, a girl stubbornly crying for a chocolate bar.

"Reem, calm down, I'm not going to let him even come near you. Trust me; you're safe with me." I rested my head on Sidd's shoulders outside the car while Roshni was with Faisal and Vishal and Jannat spoke quietly about the incident.

Hi guys! Sorry, it's been a long time since I updated but here ya go! X how was the chapter? I'm thinking of adding Sumedh and Tunisha in this story... tell me what you think x love ya fam! And tankoo for all the views and support❤